Feast of the Archangels

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael.

We are familiar with Michael, the fighter and warrior of God, and with Gabriel, God’s messenger to Mary and Zechariah for the birth of their sons. The Archangel Raphael, “the Medicine of God,” appears in the book of Tobit to heal Tobit from his blindness​.

Grateful

There is always something to be grateful for even when life is hard and times are tough.

Everyday is a blessing, and in each moment there are many things that we can be grateful for. The world opens up to us when we live in a space of gratitude. In essence, gratitude has a snowball effect. When we are appreciative and express that gratitude, the universe glows a bit brighter and showers us with even more blessings.

There is always something to be grateful for, even when life seems hard. When times are tough, whether we are having a bad day or stuck in what may feel like an endless rut, it can be difficult to take the time to feel grateful. Yet, that is when gratitude can be most important. If we can look at our lives, during periods of challenge, and find something to be grateful for, then we can transform our realities in an instant. There are blessings to be found everywhere. When we are focusing on what is negative, our abundance can be easy to miss. Instead, choosing to find what already exists in our lives that we can appreciate can change what we see in our world. We start to notice one blessing, and then another.

When we constantly choose to be grateful, we notice that every breath is a miracle and each smile becomes a gift. We begin to understand that difficulties are also invaluable lessons. The sun is always shining for us when we are grateful, even if it is hidden behind clouds on a rainy day. A simple sandwich becomes a feast, and a trinket is transformed into a treasure. Living in a state of gratitude allows us to spread our abundance because that is the energy that we emanate from our beings. Because the world reflects back to us what we embody, the additional blessings that inevitably flow our way give us even more to be grateful for. The universe wants to shower us with blessings. The more we appreciate life, the more life appreciates and bestows us with more goodness​.

 

The Golden Rule

When we honor others by following the golden rule, we honor ourselves too.

All over the world, there exists a simple precept that, when followed, has the power to end conflict and banish strife.  It is the Golden Rule, a key concept in many philosophies and spiritualities that admonishes us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us.  Its meaning is clear: treat others only in ways that you would want to be treated.  However, the golden rule is not always easy to follow. It can be a challenge to honor others as we wish to be honored.  Yet, when we do so, we bestow a gift of loving kindness on our fellow human beings.  And, in honoring others, we honor ourselves.​

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time

The twenty first chapter of St Matthew’s gospel marks a pivotal turning point in the life of Jesus. This dramatic chapter covers the beginning of Jesus’ final week on earth. Starting with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, St Matthew moves us on to the cleansing of the Temple, Jesus cursing a fig tree, Jesus having his authority questioned by the chief priests and elders then moving us on to today’s gospel, the Parable of the Two Sons. For us the chapter ends next week when we hear the Parable of the Tenants. 

In the Parable of the Two Sons, Jesus presented the chief priests and elders (and us) with with the story of a man and his two disappointing sons. Neither son is particularly honorable. When the man made a request to his sons, the first son is rude and disrespectful to his father although in the end he did what the father asked. The second son politely lied to his father and ignored his request. Jesus then asked the chief priests and elders, “Which of the two did his father’s will”? 

The obvious answer is the first son. Jesus then confronted the chief priests and elders with what was for them an alarming revelation. They did not believe the message of John the Baptist nor do they believe the message of Jesus. The people who heard, believed and repented were the tax collectors and prostitutes; the notorious sinners. Like the first son in this story, they openly chose to live sinful lives, but changed their minds and changed their lives. And so, the tax collectors and prostitutes “will enter the kingdom of God” before the chief priests and elders. 

Although the notorious sinners in this story do get into the Kingdom of God, they are not stellar examples for us as Christians. Our role model is Jesus himself. In today’s second reading from the 2nd Chapter of Philippians, St. Paul tells us to “have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus.” We are to “Do everything without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine like lights in the world….” 

Father in heaven, Form in us the likeness of your Son 

And deepen his life within us. 

Send us as witnesses of gospel joy 

Into a world of fragile peace and broken promises. 

Touch the hearts of all people with your love 

That they in turn may love one another. 

We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

Amen

 

4 Better, 4 Worse ...

A little boy was attending his first wedding. After the service, his mother asked him, “Son, do you know how many women a man is allowed to marry?” “Sixteen,” the boy responded. His mother was shocked. “What do you mean, 16?!”

“It's easy,” the little boy said. “All you have to do is add it up, like the pastor said: 4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer.”  

Self-Love

"Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin as self-neglect." -William Shakespeare

We will never achieve a feeling of true safety by seeing our self-image in terms of our character defects. To give our shortcomings such power is to ensure that we will never have enough faith or strength to go forward: we are either condemned to live in the past, trying to change it, or to the future, trying to control it.

The only safety is in the present, affirming the positive qualities we possess. Even if we're in deep sorrow this moment, we can feel safe by appreciating that we have the ability to grieve, which takes courage and passion for life.  Appreciating our many good points is a way to counteract the fear that eats away at our security.

There are a number of ways we can affirm our worth. We can write affirmations, ask others for positive support, list our good qualities, and include our progress in recovery in our daily inventory. We deserve to have the freedom that comes from feeling safe within ourselves.

What am I saying to myself right now

"You're a failure" or "You're wonderful, and I love you"?

Atheist

An atheist was walking through the woods, admiring all the “accidents” that evolution had created. “What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!” he said to himself. 

As he was walking alongside the river, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. Turning to look, he saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charge towards him. He ran away as fast as he could up the path. 

He looked over his shoulder and saw the grizzly was closing. Somehow he ran even faster, so scared that tears came to his eyes. He looked again, and the bear was even closer. His heart was pounding, and he tried to run faster. He tripped and fell to the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up, but the bear was right over him, reaching for him with its left paw and raising its right paw to strike him. 

At that instant the atheist cried, “Oh my God!” 

Time stopped. The bear froze. The forest was silent. Even the river stopped moving. 

As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky, “You deny my existence for all these years, teach others that I don't exist, and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?” 

The atheist looked directly into the light and said, “I would feel like a hypocrite to become a Christian after all these years, but perhaps you could make the bear a Christian?” 

“Very well,” said the voice. 

The light went out. The river ran. The sounds of the forest resumed. Then the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed its head, and spoke: “Lord, for this food which I am about to receive, I am truly thankful.” 

Suffering

The Elders say that if you want something good, you have to suffer for it."

People sometimes have a misconception of sacrifice. This is a strong word for Indian people. On the other side of sacrifice is another whole world. During sacrifice, our beliefs are tested. We may all have good beliefs but if you test a good belief, then you get real beliefs. Real beliefs make new people; real beliefs make new self images. Real beliefs allow determination and desires and faith to come true. Good is always available to us but we often can't bring it within until we let go of the old ways. We let go of the old ways by suffering. Suffering is only letting go of things that don't work anymore. On the other side of suffering is a new world.

Creator, help me to let go of old ways. Let my old thoughts and beliefs be abandoned. Every change is preceded by struggle. Help me go through the struggle today.

From “The White Bison”

Prayer for God's Will

Dear Lord, 

I thank You for this day,
I thank You for my being able to see
and to hear this morning.
I'm blessed because You are
a forgiving God and
an understanding God.
You have done so much for me
and You keep on blessing me.
Forgive me this day for everything
I have done, said or thought
that was not pleasing to you.

I ask now for Your forgiveness.
Please keep me safe
from all danger and harm.
Help me to start this day
with a new attitude and plenty of gratitude.
Let me make the best of each and every day
to clear my mind so that I can hear from You.
Please broaden my mind
that I can accept all things.
Let me not whine and whimper
over things I have no control over.
And give me the best response
when I'm pushed beyond my limits.

I know that when I can't pray,
You listen to my heart.
Continue to use me to do Your will.
Continue to bless me that I may be
a blessing to others.
Keep me strong that I may help the weak.
Keep me uplifted that I may have
words of encouragement for others.
I pray for those that are lost
and can't find their way.
I pray for those that are misjudged
and misunderstood.
I pray for those who
don't know You intimately.
I pray for those that will delete this
without sharing it with others
I pray for those that don't believe.

But I thank You that I believe
that God changes people and
God changes things.
I pray for all my sisters and brothers.
For each and every family member
in their households.
I pray for peace, love and joy
in their homes; that they will be out of debt
and all their needs will be met.
I pray that every eye that reads this
knows there is no problem, circumstance,
or situation greater than God.
Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight.

Amen

A young bride was extremely anxious on the day before her wedding. The priest realized she was nervous, and he asked her about it. 

"I'm going to make a mess of the whole thing," she said. "There are just so many people looking at me!" 

The priest broke the ceremony down into small parts. "Hey," he said. "This is your church, your family's church. You know everything about this church. So, as your dad takes you by the arm, concentrate on the aisle. Just focus on the aisle." 

"OK," she said. 

"Then, as you turn the corner, you'll see the altar. It's the same altar that's been here for years, and you're familiar with it. Focus on the aisle, and then the altar." 

"OK," she said. 

"And then," said the priest, "you'll see your groom! Just focus on him, and you're there! Focus on the aisle first, altar second, and him third!" 

So, just as she'd been promised, she zoned in on the three simple steps. But imagine her Dad's feelings when he heard her saying it over and over and over, as they got closer and closer and closer . . . "Aisle, altar, him. Aisle-altar-him. Aisle-alter him!"​

25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

I can't think of a parable more challenging to us today than the Parable of the Generous Vineyard Owner found in Matthew 20:1-16a. It clashes with our human sense of justice. The landowner’s generosity to all his workers does not seem fair. Why should someone who has worked only one hour in the vineyard receive the same wages as the person who worked all day long? 

A question we should ask is: where does this parable fit in with Catholic Social Teaching on the dignity of work and the rights of workers? Our Church teaches that "the basic rights of workers must be respected -- the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to organize and join unions, to private property and to economic initiative.” Were the wages the generous vineyard owner offered to the workers decent and fair? How you answer this question may depend on which of the workers you associate yourself. If you identify yourself with the group of workers who labored all day, then you probably feel that the vineyard owner cheated the hard workers and by association you. HOWEVER, if you identify yourself with the group of late comers, you might feel that the vineyard owner was incredibly kind and generous. 

Where we fit in the hierarchy of workers isn't really the focus of this parable. The Parable of the Generous Vineyard Owner is not about us. It is about God's abundant mercy, it is about God's unconditional love, and it is about God's generous forgiveness that God offers to every one of us over and over and over again. The Kingdom of God is not built on what is fair; the Kingdom is built on grace. We don't deserve it and we can't earn it. And most of us will never really understand it. Kingdom economics simply don't make sense in our secular world. In the first reading from Isaiah 55:6-9, God, speaking through the Prophet tells us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts.”

God most high, 

your ways are not our ways, 

for your kindness is lavished equally upon all.

Open us more to the free gifts of your grace, 

help us accept them with gratitude

and appreciate how liberally you give to others.

Turn our ways into your ways of love.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

Amen

Saints and Sinners

We are both saints and sinners, since goodness and selfishness both flow through us. Sometimes in the face of a slight, insult, or even positive attack and injustice, we react with patience, understanding, and forgiveness. However, sometimes we meet pettiness it in kind, with spite.

We don’t know the reason; that’s part of the mystery of human freedom. Certain factors obviously play in; for example, if we are in a good inner-space when we are ignored, slighted, or unfairly treated, we are more prone to react with patience and understanding, with a big heart. Conversely, if we are tired, pressured, and feeling unloved and unappreciated, we are more likely to react negatively, and return spite for spite.

Be that as it may, ultimately there’s deeper reality at work in all of this, beyond our emotional well being on a given day. How we react to a situation, with grace or spite, for the most part depends upon something else.

The Church Fathers had a concept and name for this. They believed that each of us has two souls, a big soul and a petty soul, and how we react to any situation depends largely upon which soul we are thinking with and acting out of at that moment. Thus, if I meet an insult or an injury with my big soul, I am more likely to meet it with patience, understanding, and forgiveness. Conversely, if I meet an insult or a hurt while operating out of my petty soul, I am more likely to respond in kind, with pettiness, coldness, and spite.

And, for the Church Fathers, both of these souls are inside us and both are real; we’re both big-hearted and petty, saint and sinner. The challenge is to operate more out of our big soul than our petty one.

The saint and sinner inside us are not separate entities. Rather the saint in us, the big soul, is not only our true self, it’s our only self. The sinner in us, the petty soul, is not a separate person or separate moral force doing perpetual battle with the saint, it’s simply the wounded part of the saint, that part of the saint that’s been cursed and never properly blessed.

And our wounded self shouldn’t be demonized and cursed again. Rather it needs to be befriended and blessed – and then it will cease being petty and spiteful in the face of adversity.

Saying Thank You

Saying thank you from the heart makes us feel full. Perhaps we don't really know we have something until we express our thanks for it.

There are different levels of gratitude. There is the polite, automatic response when someone opens a door for us or the bank teller tells us to have a nice day. Simple, almost perfunctory, these acts of courtesy nevertheless add an element of grace to our daily transactions.

On a more personal level, saying thank you often and sincerely to those we love keeps us from taking each other for granted. We all like to feel appreciated - how many relationships dry up because the people involved don't realize what they have?

Then there is the gratitude we feel toward the God of our understanding, the source of all the blessings we enjoy but do not create for ourselves. This thankfulness can be a part of every breath we take. As often as we remember the many gifts of every day, our emptiness is filled.

Today, I will replenish my supply of gratitude.

Brownie and Scotty

Brownie and Scotty were neighbor dogs who met every day to play together. Like pairs of dogs you can find in most any neighborhood, these two loved each other and played together so often that they had worn a path through the grass of the field between their respective houses. One evening, Brownie's family noticed that Brownie hadn't returned home. They went looking for him with no success. Brownie didn’t show up the next day, and, despite their efforts to find him, by the next week he was still missing.

Curiously, Scotty showed up at Brownie's house alone, barking, whining, and generally pestering Brownie's human family. Busy with their own lives, they just ignored the nervous little neighbor dog. Finally, one morning Scotty refused to take "no" for an answer. Ted, Brownie's owner, was steadily harassed by the furious, adamant little dog. Spotty followed Ted about, barking insistently, then darting back and forth to a nearby empty lot, as if to say, "Follow me! It's urgent!" Eventually, Ted followed the frantic Scotty across the empty lot, as Scotty paused to race back and bark encouragingly. The little dog led the man under a fence, past clumps of trees, to a desolate spot a half mile from the house.

There Ted found his beloved Brownie alive -- one of his hind legs crushed in a steel leg-hold trap. Horrified, Ted wished he'd taken Scotty's earlier appeals seriously.

Then Ted noticed something quite remarkable... Scotty had done more than simply lead Brownie's human to his trapped friend. In a circle around the injured dog, Ted found an array of dog food and table scraps, which were identified as the remains of every meal Scotty had been fed that week!

Scotty had been visiting Brownie regularly, in a single minded quest to keep his friend alive by sacrificing his own comfort! Scotty had stayed with Brownie to protect him from predators, snuggling with him at night to keep him warm and nuzzling him to keep his spirits up. Brownie's leg was treated by a veterinarian and he recovered. For many years thereafter, the two families watched the faithful friends frolicking and chasing each other down that well-worn path between their houses.

Do you have a friend bringing you these stories. Giving you "scraps" of God's word? Taking you to a meeting? Now you know, the rest of the story. They’re trying to lead you home. Just like Scotty. Their wish for you and your life is for you to find God so the two of you can play together... forever in Heaven. Feel trapped?​

I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and yet I found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was going to be unpleasant and I knew in advance that no real good would come of it. This is my annual "Guilt Trip."

I got tickets to fly there on "Wish-I-Had" airlines. It was an extremely short flight. I got my "baggage," which I could not check. I chose to carry it myself all the way. It was loaded down with a one thousand memories of "what might have been."

No one greeted me as I entered the terminal to the Regret City International Airport. I say international because people from all over the world come to this dismal town. As I checked into the "Last Resort" Hotel, I noticed that they would be hosting the year’s most important event; the annual "Pity Party."

I wasn’t going to miss that great social occasion. Many of the towns leading citizens would be there. First, there would be the "Done" family; you know, "Should have," "Would Have" and "Could Have." Then came the "I Had" family. You probably know old "Wish" and his clan. Of course, the "Opportunities" family; "Missed and lost," would be present. The biggest family there would be the "Yesterday’s."

There are far too many of them to count, but each one would have a very sad story to share. Of course," Shattered dreams" would surely make an appearance. "It’s Their fault" family would regale us with stories (excuses) about how things had failed in their life. Each story would be loudly applauded by the "Don’t blame me" and "I couldn’t help it" committee.

To make a long story short, I went to this depressing party, knowing full well there would be no real benefit in doing so. And, as usual, I became very depressed. But as I thought about all of the stories of failures brought back from the past, it occurred to me that this trip and subsequent "pity parties" Could be canceled by me!

I started to realize that I did not have to be there. And I didn’t have to be depressed. One thing kept going through my mind, I can’t change yesterday, But I do have the power to make today a wonderful day. I can be happy, joyous, fulfilled, encouraged, as well as being encouraging.

Knowing this, I left Regret City immediately, and didn’t leave a forwarding address. Am I sorry for mistakes I’ve made in the past? Yes! But there is no way to undo them. So, if you’re planning a trip back to Regret City, please cancel all those reservations now. Instead, take a trip to a nice place called: "Starting Again."I like it so much that I made it my permanent residence. My neighbors, the "Been forgiven" and the "We’re saved" are so very helpful. By the way, you don’t have to carry around the heavy baggage anymore either.

That load is lifted from your shoulders upon arrival. Just thank God for salvation.

If you need directions, just look into your heart, and enter by "Grace way." No taxes or other cost. God’s Son paid the price, in full, for all sins and transgressions, a long time ago. Look me up if you’re ready for a total change in your life. I now live on "His Will Way."

Sincerely,
"Born again.”

Source Unknown

Prayer for Guidance

 

Value of Rocking Chair

It's hard to believe, but in April, 1996, a used rocking chair sold for more than $440,000.  In the same auction, a partial set of golf clubs brought more than $770,000, and a few salt-and-pepper shakers that cashed out for $11,500.  All in all, this amazing garage sale brought in more than $34.5 million! No, none of the items were encrusted with diamonds, or covered with gold.  The items weren't overly special in any way . . . except one.  They had all once belonged to John and Jacqueline Kennedy.

The value of an old rocking chair isn't always in the way it rocks.  Sometimes, the value is there because of whose chair it is.  Likewise, the value of your calling isn't in what you can do in your own power, but in what God can do for you once you accept His calling.

 

24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today’s gospel is a continuation of Matthew 18 that we heard last week. The theme last week was  Christlike conflict resolution or a Christian grievance process. I called it our Christian code of ethics. This week Jesus takes the matter much further. Not only are we called to settle our differences, we are called to forgive each other totally, unconditionally and from the heart.

In today’s gospel from Matthew 18:21-35, St Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive?  As many how often must I forgive?  As many as seven times?"  Jesus’ answer was staggering, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.”  Jesus then told a parable about a man who was forgiven a colossal debt but who in turn refused to forgive a very small debt.  The man was turned “over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt.”  And Jesus warns us that “So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart."  According to Jesus, there is no statute of limitations on forgiveness.

As adult Christians, we all know that forgiveness is one of the keys to the kingdom.  Yet so often we are like the sinner in today’s first reading from Sirach 27:30, “Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight.”  Why do we do it?  What is it about bitterness, vengeance and hate that is so addictive?  To be honest, I don’t know the answer.  But I do know that clinging on to these destructive emotions can enslave us and prevent us from living full, joy filled lives.

Tomorrow the Church celebrates the great Feast of the Exultation of the Cross.  For us the Cross is one of the primary symbols of our faith.  It is a sign of God’s unconditional love for us. It is our sign of hope.  Without the Cross, there would be no resurrection, redemption or salvation.  In the gospel for tomorrow, John 3:13-17, Jesus tells Nicodemus and he reminds us that God loves us so much that he “gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.”  Through His death on the Cross Jesus shows us the way to the Father, the way of humility, obedience and love.  Part of the redeeming power of the cross is the powerful way that Jesus, nearing death, had the capacity to forgive.  God loved us so much that he sacrificed his only Son for us.  Jesus loved us so much that, not only was he willing to sacrifice his life for us, he was willing to forgive us. 

O God, Most High, 

you are slow to anger and rich in compassion.

Keep the memory of your mercy alive in us; 

calm our anger and take away all our resentments. 

Create in us a new heart, 

formed in the image of your Son, 

a heart strong enough to bear every wound

and gentle enough to forgive every offense, 

so that the world may see

how your people love one another.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, 

your Son, who lives and reigns with you 

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 

God for ever and ever. 

AMEN

Minor Decisions

A married couple was celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. At the party everybody wanted to know how they managed to stay married so long in this day and age.

The husband responded, "When we were first married, we came to an agreement. I would make all the major decisions, and my wife would make all the minor decisions."

At which point the wife took up the tale, “And in 60 years of marriage we have never needed to make a major decision.”

Walking in a way that honors Christ may sound like a major decision ... to walk in a way worthy of your calling. But in a sense, this major decision is made with a long series - a lifetime, even - of minor decisions. You just make ‘em one at the time, like one little step at a time, and pretty soon, you're walking in a brand new way, right into heaven.

Be Generous

 

A priest dreamed he had died and was standing in front of the gates of heaven. As it will happen in such make-believe dreams, he came face to face with St. Peter, who was holding a big book and was ready to decide if this man - a priest -was going to be allowed into heaven.

St. Peter gave him a surprise announcement. "You're going to need 100 points to get inside the gates."

"Well," said he said proudly, "I was a priest for 47 years."

"That's nice," answered Peter. "That gets you one point."

"One point?! That's all I get? Just one point for 47 years of service?"

"Yes, that's correct," said Peter.

The priest was concerned at the scoring system. He tried to think of other things he had done in life.

"Well," he said, "I visited shut-ins every chance I got."

"One point."

"I developed a number of recovery programs, and I took part in many civic groups in our city. People loved me!"

"One point. Now you've got three points."

"I worked with youth," said the priest, "and surely you must know what that's like!"

"One more point," said Peter, "and that makes four. You need 96 more points."

"Oh no!" the priest cried out in panic. "I feel so helpless, so inadequate. Except for the grace of God, I don't have a chance."

St. Peter smiled a big smile. "Ah . . . the grace of God! That's good for 96 points. Come on in!" 

“and stay alert in this, with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints"

Prayer should be a constant for the Christian. Our goal is for prayer to be as natural as breathing. If prayer can become the habit of our lives, then the way we look at the world and deal with others will change. 

In praying for others we are more likely to remember that we are all in this thing called life together. We are far too guilty of praying exclusively for ourselves. If we can find the right balance we will open our eyes to the needs of others as we pray for them. We will realize that we are all part of the body of Christ. This gives us a new sense of purpose and a renewed sense of hope as we remember that we are connected with the body of Christ.​

I Came to Church Today

Hello God, I came to church today
To talk a little while
I need a friend who'll listen
To my anxiety and trial.

You see, I can't quite make it
Through a day just on my own...
I need your love to guide me,
So I'll never feel alone.

I want to ask you please to keep,
My family safe and sound.
Come and fill their lives with confidence
For whatever fate they're bound.

Give me faith, dear God, to face
Each hour throughout the day,
And not to worry over things
I can't change in any way.

I thank You God, for being here
And listening to my call,
For giving me such good advice
When I stumble and fall.

Your true presence, God, is the only one
That answers every time.
I never get a busy signal,
because I know your are mine.

So thank you, God, for listening
To my troubles and my sorrow.
Thank you God for loving me
and dying for all my tomorrows.

Pray at All Times

With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit.

The Bible tells us we are to pray without ceasing, but for many believers this is not understood in a practical sense. Prayer for each individual must become a daily, constant, and consistent way of living. In any given moment we are only a thought and breath from communicating with God. In a day and age when we pride ourselves on having high-speed internet connections, we also have a high-speed instant access connection with the Heavenly Father.

In the book of Psalms we get some insight into the approach that David took in praying at all times. In Psalm 4 we are reminded that he prayed before ending the day. In Psalm 5 we see him start his day in prayer. In Psalm 6 we see how he prayed in the aftermath of his failures. In Psalm 7 we read how David prayed when the pressure was on and he was under attack. In Psalm 8 he prayed when he thought of the creative power of God. In Psalm 9 we see that he prayed in times of joy. In Psalm 10 he prayed when he felt isolated.

It is safe to say that David as a lifestyle prayed without ceasing and stressed how important it is to keep the lines of communication open to God.

23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Many people find confrontation and conflict difficult to handle. So we should pay close attention to today’s readings because they all focus on our responsibility to confront people who have sinned against us and who have sinned against other people. Not only are we supposed to confront them, we are supposed to win them over. God, speaking through Ezekiel in today’s first reading (Ez 33:7-9) makes the point clearly, if “you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death.” However, “if you warn the wicked, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.” Ezekiel and all the prophets took God at his word and spent their lives admonishing the Children of Israel for their wicked ways. This made the prophets immensely unpopular particularly with people in power and they suffered deadly hostility.

The Eighteenth Chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel is sometimes called “The ecclesial discourse” or Dissertation on the Church. It presents us with a Christian code of ethical practice. The section we hear today, verses 15-20, outlines a grievance process we should follow when someone does something wrong. The object of this process is not to abuse, ridicule, or humiliate our sisters and brothers in faith. Rather, the purpose is to bring them back into God’s loving community. In the Jerusalem Bible translation St. Matthew tells us “If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves.” If that does not work, “take one or two others along with you.” And, if that does not work, take the issue “to the community” and let the community decide how to handle the situation.

The challenge in following this process is doing it in the right spirit. St. Paul tells us in Romans 13:10, that “love is the fulfillment of the law.” And in Colossians 3:12-15 he says, “Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body.” 

Father in heaven, 

The perfection of justice is found in your love 

And all mankind is in need of your law. 

Help us to find this love in each other 

That justice may be attained

Through obedience to your law. 

We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

Amen

Where's the Ocean?

There’s a story about a little fish swimming around the ocean and asks a wise old fish, “Where’s the ocean?”

The big fish replies, “Well look around you, Little One; you’re in the ocean.”

“No. No!” says the little fish. “This is just the water. I want to find the ocean.”

Of course the wise old fish goes on to explain that the water is the ocean – everything around the little fish is the ocean. “Little One, the water is the ocean. It brings us life carries us through life; and brings us the oxygen we breathe through our gills; it brings us the nourishment to live. Everything is the ocean!”

The same is true for our faith in God. Everything is the ocean - or in our case, everything is spiritual. We don’t have to go look for it. It’s already here. We don’t have to ask about or talk about the “spiritual part” of our faith. It’s all spiritual. Everything is spiritual.​

Investment

Tom Watson, Sr., is the man who founded IBM. You can imagine the money, the investments, the experiments, this man, and his multi-billion dollar company have made through the years. Once, years ago, when a million dollars was still a million dollars, Watson had a top junior executive who spent $12 million of the company's money on a venture that failed. The executive put his resignation on Watson's desk saying, "I'm sure that you want my resignation." Watson roared back:, "No I don't want your resignation. I've just spent $12 million educating you. It's about time you get to work."

God won't accept your resignation. Instead, he'll accept your failures as part of the investment He has made in your spiritual growth. But now, he expects you to get to work! So let's do it.

This Too Shall Pass

 

Divine Energy

Which of these qualities flow from the Divine Energy, Holy Spirit, inside of you?

Compassion … calm … listening … caring … innate harmony ... unconditional love … sense of the sacred in life … Being truly in the moment with another … non-judgmental attitude towards others … Joyful … peaceful … gentle … serene … humble … giving … Genuine … honest … focused … sensitive ,,, radiant … understanding … trusting … supportive … empathic … nurturing … empowering … wholeness … courage … strength … heart centered … warmth … tenderness​